Volunteers joined hands to clean up Phạm Hùng Street in Hà Nội on September 20 as part of World Cleanup Day 2025. — Photo Courtesy of the organisers

HÀ NỘI — More than 300 volunteers joined hands on Saturday (September 20) to clean up Phạm Hùng Street in Hà Nội as part of World Cleanup Day 2025, the world’s largest civic action campaign tackling global waste.

This year’s event carried the theme “5% pioneers – Global impact”, highlighting research from the University of Leeds, UK, which suggests that when just five per cent of a community takes action for a shared goal, it can trigger a tipping point in behaviour and social awareness.

Nguyễn Thị Cẩm Tú, national coordinator of Let’s Do It Vietnam, said people don’t need to be a celebrity or a leader to create change – every individual who takes action is already part of the 5 per cent pioneers.

“Cleanup activities not only improve the environment but also shift behaviour from littering to waste sorting, reducing and reusing.”

The programme welcomed Hannes Hanso, Ambassador of Estonia to China, concurrently accredited to Việt Nam, Mongolia and Thailand.

Estonia is the birthplace of the Let’s Do It! World movement.

In his keynote address, he praised Việt Nam’s active role: “When millions of people perform small acts together, we can achieve great change for future generations. I hope this movement will continue to thrive in Việt Nam and worldwide.”

World Cleanup Day 2025, the world’s largest civic action campaign tackling global waste, kicked off in Hà Nội on September 20. — Photo Courtesy of the organisers

The event, supported by local authorities and partners such as Hirdaramani Vietnam, Easia Travel and FUWA BIOTECH, collected nearly 850kg of waste, mainly single-use plastics, medical masks and cigarette butts.

Volunteers were trained in waste sorting and provided with gloves, tongs and collection bags to ensure safety and efficiency.

Nationwide, the campaign mobilised over 1,000 volunteers in cities including Đà Nẵng, HCM City, Quy Nhơn, Quảng Ngãi and Cần Thơ, with parallel cleanups organised in Gia Lai, Kon Tum and other provinces. In total, more than three tonnes of waste were collected.

Launched in Estonia in 2008, World Cleanup Day has become a global movement spanning more than 190 countries.

In December 2023, the United Nations officially recognised the day in its calendar of International Days and Weeks, underscoring its role in tackling global environmental challenges through community mobilisation. — VNS